Ya Gotta Get It Together-Part Three

Adjusting Your Work Flow

As we continue to organize using Denise Levenick's article in Family Tree magazine, "workflow"will be the hardest element to internalize when organizing. Remember to "go paperless" and keep any more paper from coming "in."

To reiterate, I 
a) scanned or 
b) read and recycled papers/documents,
c) created naming system for documents/emails/text and.
d) created folder naming system.

Levenick suggests the following regarding WorkFlow:

1)  STOP yourself from pushing the PRINT button when you find something online or that might come by email. 

What worked for me:
* Practice cut/paste with non-genealogy email/web material. 

Here was my process:

* I have two Word documents on the desktop. For now, one for each major SURNAME.

* I cut text from email or websites, pasted it in my genealogy software or Word document (remember to capture the email or URL address).

* Levenick suggests to copy and paste to a document, research log, or a Correspondence folder.

2) Keep everything in digital format!

* Which leads to considering "tools"(See step 12 in Levenick's article) that will help you digitize like Evernote, maps, calendars and, other tools.
* I have not yet perfected Evernote.

3) Take a screenshot, copy and paste, or save/bookmark the URL to your favorites.

* I do screenshots, 
* practice copy and paste (see item 1 above), and 
* save/bookmark websites to favorites (to return to).

4) Get books digitized and not in print. Get conference syllabus in .pdf format or on a CD. Get society newsletters and magazines electronically. 

* I have not yet perfected reading a book downloaded from a website for reading.

(I had to literally hold my hand from requesting a print copy of a book to be snail mailed to me OR even printing out the 371 page book.)

* Look on conference registration forms and order the CD of the syllabus. 

* Get the Apps for conferences and take notes on devices.

* Most societies send newsletters electronically. Read and recycle or read and cut and paste.

5) Put your genealogy somewhere! What computer platform and program do you use? Wherever you keep it genealogy software, or genealogy website...keep a master copy. 

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 LOCKSS: 
* Back up not only monthly but keep a copy of your files on three or more locations. 

* Keep it safe and make one of those locations... the CLOUD.

Remember the goal is to become organized and productive by "going paperless." With suggestions from Denise Levenick you can "go paperless" or at least "go with less paper." 

Become a more organized and productive research genealogist.

It can be done. I did it!

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Denise Levenick,  Family Tree magazine, July/August p 21-26.

Glimpses on the Horizon Blog Ya Gotta Get It Together Part 1& 2

See ya down the road...

Copyright @ 2015-16 Diane McClure Lott

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION